An Indiana House committee overhauled a casino industry bill Wednesday by stripping out provisions that some considered to be expansions of gambling and reinstating funding guarantees for local communities.
Members of the Public Policy Committee voted 10-3 to send the bill to the full House for consideration.
Gone from Senate Bill 528 are proposals to let horse track casinos, or racinos, use live dealers for table games and permit riverboat operations to relocate onto land. The committee also removed language that could have meant some $40 million in lost revenue for the cities, towns and counties where casinos are located.
Lawmakers left in place two provisions meant to help the state’s casinos cope with increasing competition from gambling operations in other states. Those would create a $40 million annual tax credit meant to encourage casinos to invest in upgrades or expansions and give casinos a tax break on marketing coupons they send to potential customers.
The bill’s author, Sen. Phil Boots, R-Crawfordsville, said the opening of a new casino in Cincinnati is projected to cost Indiana locations so much business that the state will lose $60 million to $100 million in tax revenue annually.
Boots opposed amendments meant to eliminate what some said would be additional gambling.
“We’re not adding games. We’re not adding facilities,” Boots told the committee. “We’re not moving anyone to another location. This bill gives these people some tools to try to compete.”
The question of expansion has become key to the bill’s success. House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, has expressed some concern about expanded gambling and Gov. Mike Pence has told lawmakers he opposes those provisions of the bill.
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Lawmakers were responsive to officials and community leaders from cities, towns and counties where casinos are located. They said their locales can’t afford to lose cash generated by casinos.
Committee members reinstated provisions for payments by the casinos to local governments that the Senate had removed.
